Sínann Fetherston shares her guide to a winter weekend in Naples, Italy, as a solo traveler.
As a single 30-something with no dependents and a maturing social group temporarily grounded due to mortgages, marriages and motherhood, I decided this would be the year to plan a solo adventure.
Following some meticulous research (I Googled 'where should I travel next' and let an algorithm decide my fate), I decided that a winter break in Naples, Italy, would be the perfect place to attempt an Eat, Pray, Love experience in three days or less.
@rtelifestyle Go to RTE.ie/Lifestyle to get a detailed breakdown of how to spend three days in #Naples #Italy in #Winter as a #solotravelwoman 🇮🇹 By @Sinann Fetherston ✈️ #Napoli #Sfogliatella #citybreak #solotrip #viasangregorioarmeno #pompeii #Naplespizza #wanderlusteurope ♬ FEEL THE GROOVE - Queens Road, Fabian Graetz
Scouring TikTok for the best pizza and pastry recommendations, and resolving that there were enough indoor activities to keep me busy if the weather worked against me, I booked my flights.
If you're nervous about traveling solo, my best - and in absolutely no way sensible - advice is to steel yourself and book the flight, that way you have no choice but to figure out the rest.
I truly believe this 'ah sure, it'll be grand' mentality is what has allowed the Irish diaspora to successfully spread so far and wide.
1. Book ahead
Once your flights are booked, the real research begins. From TikTok recommendations to Tripadvisor reviews, the internet is an endless well of information. It takes time and patience, but personal stories and tidbits will steer you away from the scam booking sites and lead you to safer pastures, ideally with a few budget-friendly tips along the way.
While I wanted to leave plenty of room for wandering and spontaneity (one must always schedule time for spontaneity), there were a few must-sees I wanted to guarantee for my trip.
Firstly, I booked the Bourbon Tour directly from Galleria Borbonica for €10. As well as getting me out of the rain for an hour, this underground tour offered a fascinating insight into the last 500 years of Naples' history as the space has been used as a military passage, a water tank, a shelter during World War II, and a police compound for seized cars and motorbikes.
Next up was a trip to a room with a ceiling so beautiful it could make you cry. The Sansevero Chapel Museum is known as "a jewel of the world's artistic heritage" and is home to Giuseppe Sanmartino's Veiled Christ, Giuseppe Salerno's Anatomical Machines, and beautiful artwork by Francesco Celebrano.
Daily admissions are limited and from January 11, 2023, all tickets must be bought in advance. Standard tickets cost €8 plus a €2 booking fee and I would highly recommend ordering an audio guide €3.50 plus €1 booking fee.
The final booking of my getaway was a day trip to Pompeii and Vesuvius (including a pizza lunch or wine tasting) through viator for €129. I had read mixed reviews online, and the success of a day trip seemed to come down to the tour guide.
If possible, request a date with Gabriel, who is like the perfect shot of espresso for your early-morning start.
Warm, welcoming, energetic, and full of stories ranging from the dangers of Vesuvius to how he proposed to his girlfriend on the Brooklyn Bridge, Gabriel transformed our little group into an international team.
The tour of Pompeii was absolutely fascinating, giving visitors an idea of what life was like before the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Telling us about the food, culture, and architecture of the time, our guide brought us around the Basilica, the Forum, the thermal baths, a brothel, as well as a selection of residential homes.
The day tour included a delicious lunch (pizza, of course) and a hike up Mount Vesuvius. Unfortunately, the weather didn't permit the hike to go ahead that day but we were quickly refunded for our entrance tickets.
2. Embrace the culture
As much as I tried to prepare for my trip abroad - packing adapters and checking the weather forecast - some things simply must be learned on the ground.
I thought that booking a trip off-season would reward me with quiet streets to stroll at my leisure. As it turns out, navigating some areas of Naples is like taking on midtown Manhattan during the countdown to New Year's Eve.
Another realisation was that, although Italy is warmer and remains brighter than Ireland in the winter, the sun still sets fairly early. And while some areas were filled with families and fairy lights, there were certain parts of the city that I wasn't comfortable exploring on my own after dark, which left my jam-packed days followed by somewhat quiet nights.
In the end, the early nights led to early starts which served me well as some businesses enjoy a middle-of-the-day break whereby they allow staff to go home and enjoy lunch with family for a few hours. Your best bet is to aim for early mornings or later evenings, although some restaurants remain closed for all of Sunday.
If there's a must-see destination on your list, be sure to book ahead but, otherwise, it's best to embrace the culture of the place you are in.
The Neapolitan way of life seems to be about staying on the move and taking things as they come, whether that be an exploration of Via San Gregorio Armeno - a narrow street filled with figurines and Christmas crafts - or a spectacular trip through one of the world's most beautiful metro stations.
3. Enjoy the cuisine
Perhaps living by one of the world's most dangerous volcanoes allows Neapolitans to tap into their inner child's most sugar-fuelled desires, or maybe they simply need a caffeinated kick to battle the crowds. Regardless, mornings in Naples should always start with a cappuccino and a freshly baked sfogliatella.
There are plenty of historical and delicious options to choose from but some of the most popular seem to be Pintauro, La Sfogliatella Mary, and Caffe Mexico. Being the diligent researcher I am, I can confirm all three are excellent.
Once your sugar high begins to crash, you can drop by one of the city's many coffee bars for a quick hit of espresso. It's worth learning a few words of Italian for this part of the journey as some bars require you to order and pay at the till before making your way to collect your order from the counter.
While you run about the city on your caffeine high, be sure to stop by Passione di Sofì or any other street food hotspots for a mixed bag of cuoppo, fried pizza, or some arancini.
For dinner, you should, of course, enjoy a pizza. Naples is the birthplace of the delicacy after all.
Created in honour of the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, Pizza Margherita is a colourful representation of the Italian flag thanks to its red tomato sauce, white mozzarella, and green basil.
Pizzerias are absolutely everywhere in Naples, but my top picks are a Margherita for €6 in Pizza Laezza, and a Margherita con Bufala for €6.50 in Antica Trattoria e Pizzeria.
If you're looking for a world outside of pizza, I recommend Al 53. The Caprese salad was the best of my life, while the smell of the spicy-tomatoey-cheesy-creamy pasta dish still haunts my dreams. These two dishes paired with a glass of vino rosso came to €30.
Ultimately, the best way to travel solo is to research what you can but leave plenty of room to learn as you go. Bring a book with you if you're not quite used to dining out alone, do your best to appreciate the little moments, and try to learn a few words of the lingo to get you by.
As for Naples? Get your walking shoes on and prepare for a fast-paced weekend of coffee, pizza, history, art, and architecture.
For more photos, click through the gallery at the top of the page.
For more staycation inspiration, check out our reviews of Boyne Valley and Limerick City.
